@Creighton, Wed. Jan. 3, 8p, FS1/570AM

The lack of depth is due to our need to recruit transfers who have to sit a year before being eligible. Walk-ons are not going to help us when we need players during the game. Until then we have players on scholarship, like AA and Trimble, who have walk-on talent. It's getting tougher to be patient, but that's the only option.

As for this game, Ponds was clearly less than 100%, but played significant minutes. We need AA, Trimble and Yakwe to contribute minutes to allow the starters to have some gas left in the tank late in the game. Can they play better than we have seen lately, I think so. They all have played better in past games, but not for extended periods.

Free throw practice, before, during and after practice-PLEASE.

Coaching has been better this season, but still has a way to go with use of TO's and D adjustments and player management.

0-3 start vs. three teams we can payback this season.
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Try the walk-ons over AA and Trimble, would they be any worse then those 2.

Payback if Lovett comes back, if not then it's already a lost season.
 
The lack of depth is due to our need to recruit transfers who have to sit a year before being eligible. Walk-ons are not going to help us when we need players during the game. Until then we have players on scholarship, like AA and Trimble, who have walk-on talent. It's getting tougher to be patient, but that's the only option.

As for this game, Ponds was clearly less than 100%, but played significant minutes. We need AA, Trimble and Yakwe to contribute minutes to allow the starters to have some gas left in the tank late in the game. Can they play better than we have seen lately, I think so. They all have played better in past games, but not for extended periods.

Free throw practice, before, during and after practice-PLEASE.

Coaching has been better this season, but still has a way to go with use of TO's and D adjustments and player management.

0-3 start vs. three teams we can payback this season.
Click to expand...

Really??? Our lack of depth is due to trying to completely fill out a D1 roster to compete in one of the best conferences in the country in two, count ‘em, two recruiting cycles. Many of the “fans” on this board who were full of “patience” and “ it is going to take time” when Mullin was hired have completely become “what have you done for me lately” before we even got to lately. Yes, it sucks, and I, like everyone here wishes it were different but you have to walk before you run. We are walking right now, maybe jogging, but the problem is not coaching or free throws or any of the other CYO, sophomoric observations. We need more players, plain and simple and they are coming. Meanwhile, other than the Providence game, we have played hard, albeit not always well, we have certainly not shot nearly as well as I thought, especially Ponds and Ahmed. If someone would have said LoVett would miss half the season up to now and Ponds would play as poorly as he has at times, 10-5 would not have seemed achievable but there it is. Either we are the luckiest team in the world or Mullin and co. know something about coaching and recruiting winning players.
 
The lack of depth is due to our need to recruit transfers who have to sit a year before being eligible. Walk-ons are not going to help us when we need players during the game. Until then we have players on scholarship, like AA and Trimble, who have walk-on talent. It's getting tougher to be patient, but that's the only option.

As for this game, Ponds was clearly less than 100%, but played significant minutes. We need AA, Trimble and Yakwe to contribute minutes to allow the starters to have some gas left in the tank late in the game. Can they play better than we have seen lately, I think so. They all have played better in past games, but not for extended periods.

Free throw practice, before, during and after practice-PLEASE.

Coaching has been better this season, but still has a way to go with use of TO's and D adjustments and player management.

0-3 start vs. three teams we can payback this season.
Click to expand...

Really??? Our lack of depth is due to trying to completely fill out a D1 roster to compete in one of the best conferences in the country in two, count ‘em, two recruiting cycles. Many of the “fans” on this board who were full of “patience” and “ it is going to take time” when Mullin was hired have completely become “what have you done for me lately” before we even got to lately. Yes, it sucks, and I, like everyone here wishes it were different but you have to walk before you run. We are walking right now, maybe jogging, but the problem is not coaching or free throws or any of the other CYO, sophomoric observations. We need more players, plain and simple and they are coming. Meanwhile, other than the Providence game, we have played hard, albeit not always well, we have certainly not shot nearly as well as I thought, especially Ponds and Ahmed. If someone would have said LoVett would miss half the season up to now and Ponds would play as poorly as he has at times, 10-5 would not have seemed achievable but there it is. Either we are the luckiest team in the world or Mullin and co. know something about coaching and recruiting winning players.
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Yes we will fill the roster. Next year. Transfers are the reason we are short this year. And yes, Coaching and failure to execute fundamentals have contributed to our losses. How many transfers on the roster are ineligible to play this year?
 
The lack of depth is due to our need to recruit transfers who have to sit a year before being eligible. Walk-ons are not going to help us when we need players during the game. Until then we have players on scholarship, like AA and Trimble, who have walk-on talent. It's getting tougher to be patient, but that's the only option.

As for this game, Ponds was clearly less than 100%, but played significant minutes. We need AA, Trimble and Yakwe to contribute minutes to allow the starters to have some gas left in the tank late in the game. Can they play better than we have seen lately, I think so. They all have played better in past games, but not for extended periods.

Free throw practice, before, during and after practice-PLEASE.

Coaching has been better this season, but still has a way to go with use of TO's and D adjustments and player management.

0-3 start vs. three teams we can payback this season.
Click to expand...

We should never have more than one sit out transfer per year going forward unless we have 11 scholarship players, 8 of which are "players". We bombed with our recruiting class in year 3 because of the gamble on Zach Brown and the mysterious transfer of Sid Wilson under suspicious tampering questions surrounding his handler and Uconn. More inexplicable was Mullin not blocking that interference by Uconn. What truly surprises me is our decreased scouting of the Juco talent that could balance the issue of sit out transfers. It is very unfortunate that the the Brown and Wilson fiascos are now costing us what should have been an NCAA bid. It is reminiscent of Lavin gambling with Norvell Pelle and the academics of 2 other 4 star players along with the incredible letdown by two highly touted Philly guards. Had those particular player issues not happened it is quite possible Lavin could have had 5 consecutive NCAA teams and still be coach. That mal'occhio has carried over to the present staff but with glaring negatives since there are no real coaches on the bench or in practices to make up for better prepared and balanced Big East teams. Three years of on-the-training (OJT) was expected once the administration decided to hire Chris Mullin with two great recruiters in Matt and Slice. The learning curve has not been as hoped especially with the mysterious disappearance of Slice who is still on payroll. It is not just the bench depth of players that is an issue but the depth of coaches. Hopefully in year four this staff will graduate with a 4 year degree in coaching and an NCAA appearance.
 
It's tough to win against good teams when you have 9 scholarship players on your roster, 1 of them is injured and the 3 guys on the bench (Yakwe, Trimble and Amar) have contributed very little. Therefore, it all falls upon the 5 starting players to get the job done. Not an easy task, to say the least.

Yet, we were very competitive on the road against both Seton Hall and Creighton. Last night, we were down two late in the game with Clark (a 90%+ free throw shooter to date) on the line for a 1 and 1. It would be fair to have expected him to tie the game but he missed the first shot and we could not recover.

I'm not down on this season at all. If someone told me that Lovett would be out for 7 consecutive games and that Ponds would have some injury issues and would not be playing up to his standard and we would still be 10-5, i would be pretty happy. Our kids have played hard and have been very competitive.There is noticeable improvement on the court over last season's product. Kudos to our players and staff for that. Our biggest problem is a lack of depth. You can't win in this league with 5 players. If we can get healthy and regroup, I still think that we can get into the mix in our conference.

Keep the faith, my friends!!
 
I find it hard to fathom why more than a few posters won’t let go of the Mullin can’t Coach whine . Last night , it was a real strategy to switch to Zone and for a while it caused Creighton all sorts of problems . Mullin and Richmond had nothing to do with all the empty trips we had in the second half after taking a fairly substantial lead . Down the stretch , Ponds and Clark , our 2 best Free throw shooters , gave us a chance to tie or get the lead . They inexplicably missed and that was the game .. Blaming Mullin or the Coaches is a incorrect assessment . Having Lovett injured for almost 1/2 the season isn’t on Mullin or anybody . Yes, our Bench has limited skills but , it represents the hand we were dealt . Amar didn’t hit his few shots but, he did not lose the Game for us . Those clamoring for Yakwe must have missed his play in the first half , where he fumbled every ball thrown to him or , missed a wide open lay in by a mile . The man he was guarding spanked him badly going to the hoop . Yes, we could have won this game but, we have too many scoring lapses that let opponents get back in the game . Ponds shot has been missing all season , especially without Lovett playing . He also looks passive and seemingly laconic at times , letting othets do the heavy lifting . He needs to go to the hoop more , with Lovett missing .
 
Frustrating too that pretty much every fan wanted another big man on the roster even before Williams (didn't want to be a big man) defected and even considering that many thought that Clark was going to be a banger instead of an extra large shooting guard. I knew he wasn't and thus my persistent but ultimately unanswered pleas for a big man... Then the Sid Wilson atrocity. So next season that gets answered nicely but I can see why people are ticked at the staff about this.

OTOH I disagree with many of the other criticisms, whining, bile, cheap shots and random pot stirring. And unlike 72 that all but calls Mullin mentally retarded at every opportunity, I think the staff has prepared very well for opponents and had some good strategies for matching up against teams were were overmatched against. Simon really answered a lot of problems from the last two seasons but then being shorthanded and not having any rebounding from the frontcourt is frustrating. A lot of the issues truly are attributable to the COMPLETE rebuild that Mullin inherited. And yes that is on Lavin. That is not hate or being stuck in 1985, that is objective.

The staff has a plan from the types of players they want to the style of play. They have stuck with it. The last two seasons were ridiculous. We've seen incremental progress and that is the real indicator. Even with rose glasses I didn't see us as anything but getting destroyed at Seton Hall and that was before key injuries. Same goes for pretty much every single win the last two seasons where we didn't have anything close to Big East caliber personnel not to mention totally destroying Syracuse not once but twice with those players. Anyone claiming our staff is clueless is not objective and has their own agenda but is certainly not objective. Providence was really deflating but realistically without injuries we might be 3-0 in conference and would be in the top 25 after beating AZ St. That is not a clueless, unprepared staff. That is 1 player and two key injuries away from being a REALLY good team.




 
It's tough to win against good teams when you have 9 scholarship players on your roster, 1 of them is injured and the 3 guys on the bench (Yakwe, Trimble and Amar) have contributed very little. Therefore, it all falls upon the 5 starting players to get the job done. Not an easy task, to say the least.

Yet, we were very competitive on the road against both Seton Hall and Creighton. Last night, we were down two late in the game with Clark (a 90%+ free throw shooter to date) on the line for a 1 and 1. It would be fair to have expected him to tie the game but he missed the first shot and we could not recover.

I'm not down on this season at all. If someone told me that Lovett would be out for 7 consecutive games and that Ponds would have some injury issues and would not be playing up to his standard and we would still be 10-5, i would be pretty happy. Our kids have played hard and have been very competitive.There is noticeable improvement on the court over last season's product. Kudos to our players and staff for that. Our biggest problem is a lack of depth. You can't win in this league with 5 players. If we can get healthy and regroup, I still think that we can get into the mix in our conference.

Keep the faith, my friends!!
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So what happened to that day-to-day bs from a month ago with Lovett? A month later and still no Lovett???
 
Shame we wasted Ahmed's best game. Outrebounded 41-23. Surprised to hear Ahmed shooting 56% free throws. He has a nice shot should be at least 70%.
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Shame we have hno freaking bench.
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Sorry, he doesn't have a good foul shot. He shoots line drives, nothing soft about his shot. He needs to get more height on the shot and as I always have posted one should aim for the front of the rim.






 
Disappointing that with the game on the line , our 2 best free throw shooters couldn’t drop 1 ! Ponds is invisible way too much this year and his shot is MIA all season . He misses playing off Lovett obviously . Anyone not missing Mussini yet ? We all should be . It’s BS to blame Mullin for having to use Trimble and Amar. We don’t have any bench . Yakwe is awful with Edward Scissorhands . Still can’t make a 2 Foot move to the hoop and finish ! Season is slipping away and this game could have been big turnaround . Harsh reality is we still don’t have enough BE talent through 8 -9 Roster . Most teams do .
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Agree about Ponds being invisible. In the Orlando Tournament I had posted that he was lackadaisical in some of the games.. There's something different going on with him this season. Seems he takes awhile to get into the game. Has nothing to do with Mullin, just watch as he sits in a corner instead of getting into the offense. And I want to see him drive more, now that's where Mullin comes in.
 
Disappointing that with the game on the line , our 2 best free throw shooters couldn’t drop 1 ! Ponds is invisible way too much this year and his shot is MIA all season . He misses playing off Lovett obviously . Anyone not missing Mussini yet ? We all should be . It’s BS to blame Mullin for having to use Trimble and Amar. We don’t have any bench . Yakwe is awful with Edward Scissorhands . Still can’t make a 2 Foot move to the hoop and finish ! Season is slipping away and this game could have been big turnaround . Harsh reality is we still don’t have enough BE talent through 8 -9 Roster . Most teams do .
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Agree about Ponds being invisible. In the Orlando Tournament I had posted that he was lackadaisical in some of the games.. There's something different going on with him this season. Seems he takes awhile to get into the game. Has nothing to do with Mullin, just watch as he sits in a corner instead of getting into the offense. And I want to see him drive more, now that's where Mullin comes in.
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How about injuries and playing nearly 40 minutes every game? Maybe fatigue is the answer.
 
Only criticism I have of Mullin last game was that he left Alibegovic and Trimble in the game too long during that run in the second half. Alibegovic actually played well in the first half if you watched the game. Problem is he should only play 2-3 minute stretches to give the starters a quick breather. Yakwe didn't play because of matchups and it just wasn't his day, that's a coaching decision nothing wrong with that. He did not play well in the first half, Martin Krampelj was cooking him so Mullin took him out. Yakwe has been fine this season, he is not the problem.
Despite how most feel, the rebounds are not what killed us. There was only one play last night where I thought we gave up a rebound we really needed. Our defense gives up rebounds but we make up for it with the forced turnovers. We had 24 points off turnovers.Our two biggest issues besides the depth and injuries are that we gave up too many 3s and we forced up 3s when we had the lead.
 
Horrid bench stats last night exacerbated by Yakwe's bad game. He had been giving us a solid 14-15 minutes with a couple of rebounds, a few points (including good foul shooting) and solid defense in the half court. Last night he was bad offensively and defensively in the first half and coach pulled him and sat him the rest of the game, presumably to send a message. Let's hope the regression was a one game thing because, even with Lovett back on the court, we need Yakwe to be a dependable 7th man in the rotation. Trimble just isn't ready yet.
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sorry fellas, I love Trimble's open three shot against lower D1 schools, but he has proven against BE and high D1 teams he is lost. He had 20+ mins vs Hall and valuable mins yesterday and was a liability. I don't want to hear he is a frosh- blah blah blah. We are into crunch time and other frosh around the country and BE have adjusted. Im not saying he needs to contribute 10-12 pts, but grab a rebound ( especially an offensive board), make a steal, and play defense. RF was torn apart for being a step slow and lost on the court. Trimble is in the same category. With 1 or 2 of our most valuable guards down with injuries, we needed him to step up and contribute-he did not. Next year pending zero transfers out, he will be last on depth chart and rightfully so. There also hasn't been a player as frustrating to watch as Amar since (IMO) Kyle Cuffe, sorry but that guy comes to mind as driving me crazy lol. Amar is a big body who essentially just needs to provide us with some mins so our bigs get a breather. All we need him to do is lock down the paint, pick up a couple of fouls, grab some rebounds, while the big starters get a couple of mins. What does he do? Launch 3s. Yes, the first half he played well, but this guy is a Sr!!! He should be playing that way all game. Lastly, I truly believe with Marcus and Ponds healthy, along with the emergence of terrific play from Simon, Ahmed, Marvin, and Tariq, we can beat anyone! Please come back soon Marcus! Go johnnies!!!
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Even as a freshman, Trimble should be able to hit some open shots. He makes one, at best. He doesn’t drive so you would think his specialty would be from the perimeter.

And Amar, why he still feels like he has green light is beyond me.
 
Omaha World Herald
http://www.omaha.com/creighton/mens...cle_3e0ee03c-f0f8-11e7-a8a8-aba77674a5f9.html
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Amar didn't lose this game all by his lonesome. It was a team effort made possible by a Helter Skelter offense by a staff that thinks they are coaching in the NBA. Unlike Patrick Ewing none of our novices ever sniffed an NBA bench and never used a white board. From the article above the most contributing factor in the loss, other than a refusal to rebound, was our abysmal shooting. Considering we have two of the NBA's greatest scorers, there may be "a failure to communicate" and teach. Other than Owens who worked his ass off in the off season shooting thousands of shots, the shooting of Justin, Shamorie, Ahmed, Alibegovic and Yakwe has been mediocre.

"Over a span of 14 consecutive possessions, St. John’s managed just two points. It missed 11 of its 12 field-goal attempts during that stretch — 10 of which were jump shots".

 
Oh yeah and we went zone, that worked pretty well. That goaltend could of went either way also, that would of been huge if it was called in our favor. Also that last 3 by Thomas was a lucky bounce. We need LoVett back, Ponds will get exposed against teams with 2 strong guards like Foster and Thomas. They took turns on him. Simon is elite defensively by the way. Ponds needs to be hidden because we still need him on offense, although I could do without the forced nba 3s. Ahmed played great and Clark was solid. Owens needs to play 35 minutes every night barring foul trouble. Every game I've watched this year we play great when he is on the court and as soon as he sits the other team goes on a run. He is the key to our team and our best NBA prospect. Not to mention he is hitting 3s now. Ideally he is a face up 4 man who wreaks havoc blocking shots from the weak side, hopefully next year he can move down to the 4 more often.
 
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